Newbie question on Video Capture 5.0...

KDEuler wrote on 8/7/2005, 3:12 PM
All- Could someone explain the logic Video Capture 5.0 uses when creating .avi files during or just after a capture session? It seems that VC makes a separate avi file for each scene on the tape from my digital camcorder (a Sony TRV480). But I only notice that this happens when tape runs to the end (and camcorder automatically stops). I haven't experimented much yet, but it seems that if I stop the capture session manually, such as by clicking the stop button on the VC interface, there is just one avi file made for several scenes. Has anyone run into this phenominon? Is there a recommended better way to terminate a capture session so that the mutliple-file logic kicks in? (Multiple files seem to be prefered, as they're more managable in size.)

Thanks a lot!!!

-Kurt

Comments

Chienworks wrote on 8/7/2005, 4:37 PM
There is an option in VidCap under preferences for "scene detection". This decides whether the capture is split into separate files or not. How you end the capture should make no difference whatsoever.

Note that the scene detection in VidCap relies on you pausing or stopping the tape between scenes while recording and having the clock set in your camcorder. If the clock wasn't set while taping, scene detection won't work.
ericlast wrote on 8/7/2005, 5:37 PM
I was turned onto the great (and free) program WinDV by trolling this forum after having a few frustrating sessions using Vidcap. This is a neat little program that does one thing, and does it perfectly...it captures video from your camera!

You can get to this program at:http://windv.mourek.cz/.

Try it out!
Storyman wrote on 8/7/2005, 7:09 PM
Another program that you might like is Scenalyzer.

http://www.scenalyzer.com/

It only works with DV. One thing it can do is to capture a full hour in little time. The scenes will slice on scene detection or time detection or on a set time period.
IanG wrote on 8/8/2005, 1:14 AM
I haven't seen a new version of Scenalyzer for a couple of years, but that high speed option only allowed the tape to be previewed - the capture itself was in real time. Still a very useful feature though!

Ian G.
KDEuler wrote on 8/8/2005, 8:22 AM
Thanks for your comments everyone! I'll try these other software capture packages.

One question: Do any of these packages make one file per scene while capturing analog-sourced input, ie, playback on an analog camcorder, through the DV camcorder's passthrough feature (converting image to digital)? It seems like it would be easy enough for software to detect scene changes by detecting widespread pixel changes between two frames.
KDEuler wrote on 8/8/2005, 8:27 AM
Not related to the followup message I just posted....Another question about capturing: Has anyone found the causes of system freezes during capturing? A couple times on my system, the PC would freeze (keyboard and mouse) during a capture session of Sony's VC software.

I have a 512MB XP system, 1.8 GH. Things seem to be stable after exiting antivirus and firewall software before the capture, but I only have a sample of 1 so far.

Thanks again!
Storyman wrote on 8/8/2005, 12:12 PM
Scenalyzer will ONLY work with DV. Visit the web site for details on scene detection--it gives you a certain amount of control not found elsewhere.

Don't be concerned that it hasn't been updated in a couple of years. Why fix what isn't broken.

No analog.